Lemon Grove School District Says Promethean Boards Are Increasing Student Achievement

With today’s technology evolving at astounding speeds, many educators are desperate to keep “distracting” digital devices out of the classroom. However, rather than depriving students of their cherished gadgets, the Lemon Grove School District is embracing new technology—and kids’ uncanny ability to adapt to it—through Promethean boards.

These interactive, Internet-enabled whiteboards are popping up in schools across the nation, even those battling dismal budgetary issues. Teachers can use the boards to explain concepts, show animated presentations or video, or have students take paperless tests using hand-held devices. The technology helps teachers track each student's progress and mistakes in real time, making grading and review much faster.

Six of the seven schools in the district and all preschool classrooms will have complete or phased installation of Promethean ActivBoards by May, with the goal of every classroom (including special education) receiving the technology within the next two years. Mary Kraus, the district’s program manager of technology services, says the boards are a logical and financially sound investment.

“The boards are dramatically transforming school performance through the use of technology,” Kraus said. “Although the California budget crisis has had its impact on school districts, the new technology aligns with our goals to fund and support professional development.”

According to the Promethean website, the 87-inch boards cost about $2,139 each. The boards were purchased at the discretion of each facility’s School Site Council, which is comprised of site administration, teachers and parents. Boards were purchased using restricted funds, which are separate from the school’s general fund and cannot be spent on such things as personnel or teacher’s salaries.

“We've received accolades from the education community for our focused and sustained professional development model,” Kraus said. “Meaning we didn't just stick boards in classrooms, we followed through with our strategic implementation plan.”

Golden Avenue Elementary School was the first school to receive boards, funded through one-time federal AARA stimulus monies. The district appointed a teacher on special assignment, Sally Ahern, to remain on site at Golden Avenue every morning to assist staff with the rollout through technology support and modeled lessons.

“All my students will tell you how much they love these boards,” Ahern said. “The Promethean boards significantly increase the level of engagement…[students] stay on task.”

The teachers are happy with the hands-on approach, too. Promethean’s hand-held Student Response Systems inform them on how well the students digest the material, providing a visual representation (i.e. pie chart) and immediate assessment of student performance. Teachers can also gauge whether their teaching methods are effective, and where they can improve.

“Gone are the days of students who sit in the back of the classroom, not raising their hand,” Kraus said. “Now everyone can participate anonymously.”

Significant cost savings were achieved by training five employees to become Promethean Certified Installers. The district “cut out the middle man” by teaching their employees the structural engineering procedures necessary for safe installation and in accordance to Promethean installation standards.

Research commissioned by Promethean shows student achievement is higher (16 percentile points) when teachers use interactive instructional tools. Based on recent Golden Avenue achievement results, and coupled with the study, the district concludes that the Promethean boards have had a positive impact on student engagement, academic achievement and teacher confidence at the school. From 2009-2010, Golden Avenue experienced an 18 percent gain in mathematics.

Rick Oser, principal of Golden Avenue, says he is very pleased with student performance growth since implementing the Promethean boards.

 Juliet, a fourth-grader at the school, said she and her fellow students are now “spoiled” by the new technology.

“We’re bummed out when there is a substitute teacher, because then we have to go back to the old-fashioned way of learning.”